.

Rocliffe had never been able to shake himself free of the ridicule
that attended to him, after the expedition to London, and what
was infinitely more vexatious and worse to endure was the burden
of debt that had then been incurred, and which was more than
doubled through the activity of the lawyer by whom he had been
inveigled into submitting himself and his affairs to him.

As the eating and drinking proceeded, the Broom-Squire drank
copiously, became noisy, boastful, and threw out sarcastic remarks
calculated to hit those who ate and drank with him, but were mainly
directed against those of his own family who had absented themselves,
but to whose ears he was confident they would be wafted.

Mehetabel, who saw that he was imbibing more than he could bear
without becoming quarrelsome lost her pallor, and a hectic flame
kindled in her cheek.

Mrs. Verstage looked on uneasily. She was familiar with the moods
of Bideabout, and feared the turn matters would take.

Presently he announced that he would sing a song, and in harsh
tones began:--

"A cobbler there was, and he lived in a stall,
But Charlotte, my nymph, had no lodging at all.
And at a Broom-Squire's, in pitiful plight,
Did pray and beseech for a lodging one night,
Derry-down, derry-down.

"She asked for admittance, her story to tell.
Of all her misfortunes, and what her befel,
Of her parentage high,--but so great was her grief,
Shed never a comfort to give her relief,
Derry-down, derry-down. [2]

"Now, look here," said Simon Verstage, interrupting the singer,
"We all of us know that there ballet, pretty well. It's vastly
long, if I remembers aright, something like fourteen verses; and
I think we can do very well wi'out it to-night. I fancy your
brother-inlaw, Thomas, mightn't relish it."

"He's not here," said the Broom-Squire.

"But I am here," said the landlord, "and I say that the piece is
too long for singing, 'twill make you too hoarse to say purty
speeches and soft things to your new missus, and it's a bit stale
for our ears."

"It's an ill bird that befouls its own nest," said a young fellow
present.

Bideabout overheard the remark. "What do you mean by that? Was
that aimed at me?" he shouted and started to his feet.

A brawl would have inevitably ensued, but for a timely interruption.

In the door stood a well-dressed, good-looking young man, surveying
the